Subject category:
Ethics and Social Responsibility
Published by:
RSM Case Development Centre
Length: 22 pages
Data source: Field research
Topics:
Climate; Carbon emission; Global warming; Industry; Production; Sourcing; Innovation; Strategy; Leadership
Notes: This item is part of a free case collection. For terms & conditions go to www.thecasecentre.org/freecaseterms
Abstract
This case looks at the challenges faced by Interface, a global carpet tile company, in pursuing its new climate change strategy. Since 1994, Interface had become a leader in sustainability and had initiated and implemented wide-ranging innovations in its products, activities and programmes to reduce the company's environmental impact to zero (Mission Zero), while inspiring other companies to do the same. In 2016 Interface declared it was right on track to reach Mission Zero and started to define and develop its new mission and strategy, Climate Take Back, to be implemented after 2020 and which aimed to become restorative for the world's climatic systems. Geanne van Arkel, head of sustainability in the EMEA regional headquarters in Scherpenzeel, the Netherlands, contributed to Mission Zero and was now challenged to strategise for Climate Take Back in the EMEA region with her global colleagues. The new climate change strategy required innovative leadership, management and operations while exploring an unprecedented business challenge. This case thus explores and analyses the transition from an old climate change strategy to an even further-reaching strategy. The findings of the Special Report 'Global Warming of 1.5 degrees C', released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in October 2018, reminded Interface of the pivotal importance of its strategy and urged the company to speed up the implementation of Climate Take Back in order to be able to help reverse global warming. The case is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) case series of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. This case is part of the RSM free case collection (visit www.thecasecentre.org/rsmfreecases for more information on the collection).
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2018.Geographical setting
Region:
Europe
Countries:
The Netherlands; United States
Featured company
Interface
Employees:
1001-5000
Turnover:
USD 996 million
Industry:
Carpet industry
Featured protagonist
- Geanne van Arkel (female), Head of Sustainable Development
About
Abstract
This case looks at the challenges faced by Interface, a global carpet tile company, in pursuing its new climate change strategy. Since 1994, Interface had become a leader in sustainability and had initiated and implemented wide-ranging innovations in its products, activities and programmes to reduce the company's environmental impact to zero (Mission Zero), while inspiring other companies to do the same. In 2016 Interface declared it was right on track to reach Mission Zero and started to define and develop its new mission and strategy, Climate Take Back, to be implemented after 2020 and which aimed to become restorative for the world's climatic systems. Geanne van Arkel, head of sustainability in the EMEA regional headquarters in Scherpenzeel, the Netherlands, contributed to Mission Zero and was now challenged to strategise for Climate Take Back in the EMEA region with her global colleagues. The new climate change strategy required innovative leadership, management and operations while exploring an unprecedented business challenge. This case thus explores and analyses the transition from an old climate change strategy to an even further-reaching strategy. The findings of the Special Report 'Global Warming of 1.5 degrees C', released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in October 2018, reminded Interface of the pivotal importance of its strategy and urged the company to speed up the implementation of Climate Take Back in order to be able to help reverse global warming. The case is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) case series of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. This case is part of the RSM free case collection (visit www.thecasecentre.org/rsmfreecases for more information on the collection).
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.Settings
Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2018.Geographical setting
Region:
Europe
Countries:
The Netherlands; United States
Featured company
Interface
Employees:
1001-5000
Turnover:
USD 996 million
Industry:
Carpet industry
Featured protagonist
- Geanne van Arkel (female), Head of Sustainable Development